SC stays construction in Mundra SEZ

The Supreme Court has stayed construction activity in the 6,000 acre Mundra SEZ, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting PTI.
The Supreme Court has stayed construction activity at the 6,000-acre Mundra SEZ. This is following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a fisherman living in the area.
The PIL alleges that the SEZ seems to have no environmental clearance. The Coastal Regulatory Zone does not allow setting up of this SEZ.

Fishermen and farmers living in the area filed the PIL. There were three major concerns raised by these fishermen and farmers: the SEZ seems to have no environmental clearance, Coastal Regulatory Zone does not allow setting up of this SEZ and construction of an SEZ in that area will affect the right to livelihood of the fishermen and farmers.

Moreover, today when this case was being heard, these fishermen and farmers who were being represented by a lawyer, showed photographs of that particular place where the construction was going on and the Court was moved by the fact that if the construction at that particular place was not stopped, irreparable damage will be done to the environment. So, the Court was moved by the environmental concern and has stayed the construction work at Mundra SEZ.

Besides stopping the work there, they have issued notices to the Mundra Port Trust authorities. So for the time being, for four-weeks there will be no construction at the Mundra Port SEZ.

2008-07-02 11:17:40 Source : News Bulletins/CNBC-TV18

By Ashok Bagariya, CNBC-TV18
http://www.moneycontrol.com